


The Other Side of the Flame

by Heato_kun



Category: Winx Club
Genre: (duh), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Be Careful What You Wish For, Clones, F/M, Love Triangle (sort of???), Magic, Magic Mirrors, Mirror Universe, Sort Of, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-01-18 18:23:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21281222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heato_kun/pseuds/Heato_kun
Summary: During a class trip with the rest of the Winx, Bloom gets warped away to another universe where things have happened differently from how she'd expect them. The Winx don't trust her, neither does Sky and... why is she helping Valtor? ! (Pairings: Bloom x Sky and Bloom x Valtor. Separately).
Relationships: Aisha | Layla & Bloom & Flora & Musa & Stella & Tecna (Winx Club), Bloom & Daphne (Winx Club), Bloom & Diaspro (Winx Club), Bloom & Trix (Winx Club), Bloom/Sky (Winx Club), Bloom/Valtor | Baltor (Winx Club), Sky/Bloom (Winx Club), Valtor | Baltor/Bloom (Winx Club), one-sided Diaspro/Sky
Comments: 13
Kudos: 54





	1. Prologue

"This dress is the unique creation from an unnamed designer from the Island of Tir Nan Og. Very little is known about the historical context in which it was made, however it was observed that the magical properties of the material..."

"With a palette like that one, it's no surprise the creator didn't make any other dresses, it's hideous!"

"Stella!" shushed Tecna as she typed down her notes.

Nebula had offered Daphne's class a visit to explore its newest discoveries. The Fairies of Tir Nan Og managed to gather old mystical items that disappeared from civilization when the Wizards captured them, preventing them the access to many treasures around the island.

Now that the Winx and the Earth Fairies had restored the island back to its original state and with the wizards away, a lot of progress went into rebuilding the old civilization of the Earth Fairy kingdom.

"I gotta say, there _are_ a lot of old items here." said Musa. "I don't think I've seen any of these instruments anywhere, except maybe in the Golden Auditorium."

"Many gifts from Fairies across the Magic Universe were shared with the Earth Fairies, you girls are only scratching the surface here." said Daphne.

"I've never seen this breed of flower before." said Flora, looking at a pot that was exposed with the rest of the pieces. "Its pollen has an energizing effect, I feel like I could transform just by looking at it."

"It's a Morning Orchidée, legends say that it was one of Diana's first creations as Major Fairy of Nature. It is often believed she had created it during her childhood as a way to synchronize with nature, awaking whenever the sun rose over the island."

Bloom looked around, observing the other magical items exposed while the other Winx were listening to Daphne's explanations. It was almost hard to believe that two years ago, she and the Winx, along with their newest member Roxy, had defeated the Wizards and saved its inhabitants. They came so far since they were first years students at Alfea, having defeated dark magic users countless times across their lives as the protectors of the Magic Dimension.

After discovering her powers, she could've never guessed she would be the lost Princess of Domino, or that she'd one day save her planet, or even that she would give Daphne her body back.

Of course, after the first few times, it was hard to forget people would also target her for her powers as the Fairy of the Dragon Flame. The Trix, Darkar, Valtor, even her childhood friend Selina had turned on her to get that power. At least they made it up to each other in the end, she was relieved it didn't always end in a mess.

While walking around, she passed in front of a mirror. Curious, she looked at the inscriptions at the bottom of it, written in a language she couldn't understand.

"What is this?" she said, touching its surface. "Looks too long to be the name of the mirror. It must be a magical item, I wonder what it can do."

She contemplated the item, wondering what it could possibly do. Last time she saw a mirror like this one, it corrupted Stella into being a cruel and mean queen, though she didn't feel any dark magic emanating from it. It was bigger and rectangular, like a window or a door.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, tell me who's the fairest of them all!" she joked. The mirror didn't react, her reflection was still there. "Oh well, guess it doesn't work that way. That or Stella would be jealous the mirror finds me prettier than her."

However, as she turned around, she didn't notice the sparkles of magic, _her_ magic, moving in the mirror.

As she tried to get back to the exposition with the others, she saw a figure she recognized quite well.

"Selina!"

The green-haired goth-wearing girl turned around, looking away from a painting to see her old childhood friend.

"Bloom! Fancy seeing you here!"

"We have a class trip for our history of magic class. What about you, did you come to check the new exposition too?"

"Not really. I mean, I am looking at it, but actually, I'm here on Eldora's behalf. I need to find a really important magical item in this castle."

"Why? Is it dangerous?"

"It could be. Eldora told me legends about an item that came straight from the Legendarium and was lost on this island. She's worried it could be used for evil or cause chaos if it fell into the wrong hands." explained Selina.

"Guess we'll have to be careful. If it gets somehow taken to the Legendarium World, we won't be able to have it back now that the book is sealed, unless we want to risk a fight with the Trix inside."

"It shouldn't do anything of the sort. It's a magic mirror with the power of 'taking, to give.'"

"...what?"

"I know, legends are _really_ cryptic, it's not that fun understanding what that means." said Selina, rolling her eyes. "That's what Eldora told me while studying all the information she could find about that mirror. It supposedly takes something from the user, to give it back. Or something else of the sort, I don't really understand how it works."

"Would that mirror, by any chance, look like that one?"

Bloom pointed to where she was a few seconds ago.

"Could be. We must be careful not to touch it." said Selina, getting near the object she has been looking for.

"I touched it before."

Selina gave Bloom a slightly scared look. "And... nothing happened?" Bloom shook her head no. "Hmm, then maybe it's not it."

"Can you understand what's written down there?" she said, pointing to the old writing under the mirror.

"Hmm, if I got Eldora to come, she could probably translate it. I still need to find the real mirror though. When given enough energy, it activates itself and pleases its user, but if no one here knows what they're doing with it, who knows what could come out of it?"

As she said that, they were soon followed by the rest of Bloom's class, along with the Winx.

"Hey! Nice mirror! Though it could use a better spot on the wall... Maybe at the entrance so that the visitors can redo their makeup, or maybe we could decorate it instead, I have some ideas we could-"

"Stella! We're there as visitors, not interior designers!" chided Musa.

"Oh, sorry!" apologized Stella, embarrassed. "I _absolutely_ need to take a picture of us all together in front of this, let me just..."

She started looking through her pockets, her joyful face suddenly switching to a panicked one.

"Is everything alright, Stella?" asked Aisha.

"My phone! I think I left it in my room! I knew I should've checked my jacket twice, a true professional always makes sure her entire outfit is perfect, I can't believe I forgot it. Tecna, do you mind-"

"Don't worry, Stella." said Bloom, taking an orange phone out. "You left it on your desk when we left the class, I forgot to give it back to you. Sorry about that."

"Oh, thanks, Bloom! I don't know what I'd do without you." said Stella, taking her phone back and looking through her apps.

"Honestly?" teased Bloom. "I wish I knew too."

Her friends were amused, though it was shortly lived.

As soon as she said that, the mirror behind her glowed an intense blue, blinding her and the Winx.

"Wha- What's going on?!"

"The mirror is reacting!" said Selina. "Bloom, get away from-"

She didn't have the time to finish her sentence as blue glittering chains took a hold of Bloom, seizing her by the arms, chest and legs and dragging her to the mirror.

"BLOOM!"

"Help!" said Bloom.

As she tried to transform, she could feel the magic inside of her get pulled into the mirror as well. It was dragging her entirely, downright to her magical essence, she couldn't even make a spell. The last thing she saw before her whole world was blinded by light, was the faces of her horrified friends and sister, calling out her name before their voices faded away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea has been inside my head for quite a while. Also, despite what's in the summary, it's not a love triangle. You'll see why :p


	2. Home Sweet... Home?

Bloom's eyes were blinded by the light, she couldn't tell if she was even moving and if she was, where she was going. Her magic just refused to come out once she got caught, and as hard she tried, she couldn't even say a thing. Her voice was stuck in her throat, her lips refused to move. It both felt like an eternity and as if it all went in a flash when the mirror trapped her.

For some reason, she had the impression she was flying somewhere, even though she wasn't using her wings and didn't exactly feel like she was going anywhere.

She should've been more careful while exploring the school. If she had listened to Selina and didn't touch the mirror upon finding it, she wouldn't be there and the Winx wouldn't have to get her out. She thought of her friends, hoping their Bloomix convergence would be enough to break the spell trapping her inside.

What was this mirror even supposed to do? It captured her, and she was certain she never asked to be separated from her friends. Poor Daphne was probably worried sick about her, it was just her luck she got herself into this mess. At least, none of the enemies they fought before were roaming free, the Winx had all the time to figure out a way to bring her out.

Then Bloom heard some dinging sounds, as if there were bells in there. She heard a sound, the same one the mirror made when it caught her, then she suddenly felt she was thrown forward.

The blue light faded out, and Bloom landed on the hard ground, yelping as she rolled down on the cold surface.

"What _was_ that?!" she complained, getting back up.

She looked around, and was relieved to see she was back at Tir Nan Og College. She managed to get free! But where were the Winx? And Daphne, and Selina?

Actually, it looked like there was no one else at the exposition. She looked behind her, worried this was like when Nebula trapped Morgana behind another mirror. Was this another illusion? Was she trapped in a fake version of the room? She'd seriously have to hope they'd be able to get Nebula, Morgana or Roxy to free her if it was the case.

"Excuse me, is there anyone here?" she called out.

Much to her comfort, she saw a few students come in, chatting about everything and nothing.

"Hey, excuse me, but have you seen a group of Fairies from Alfea earlier around here?" The students looked at her, confused, and some also seemed uncomfortable seeing her there. "One of the objects from the exposition separated me from them, they must be looking for me."

"Um..." started one fairy. "I'm sorry, but we didn't hear anything about Alfea Fairies coming over. Are you sure you were supposed to visit today?"

"But we did, my class was there just a few moments ago. I think." said Bloom.

"I did hear about a group of Fairies coming by earlier." said another fairy. "I'm not sure from which school they came from, but they had a name. The "Wings" or something like that."

"The Winx!" exclaimed Bloom. "That's who I'm looking for! Do you know where they went?"

"I heard them mention they were going for a drink at some place in Downtown Magix, I didn't catch the name though."

"I think I know where they should be, thanks a lot!" said Bloom, running out of the school.

_'So the girls are in Magix. I hope I wasn't in there too long, though I wonder why they're going for drinks? Maybe looking for a way to free me made them thirsty. They'll be in for a surprise when I get there.'_

Using her magic, she closed her eyes and let herself disappear, leaving the Earth for the Magic Dimension.

* * *

"I can't believe it, all the stores are closed!"

"They're in repair, Stella. It makes sense after all those fights we had in here, the shop owners probably need to replenish their stock after our battles took out most of it." said Aisha.

"I know, but you'd at least expect the capital of the Magic Dimension to require less time to get back up. Back on Solaria, you only had to wait a few hours for the shops to get fixed, not weeks!"

"If the Princess of Solaria is the one going to those stores, it's their top priority to put everything in order for their future queen." teased Tecna, speaking in a matter-of-fact way. "We're not on Solaria, so this means you'll have to wait a few more days."

The Solarian princess rolled her eyes. It was their favorite teacher's day off, so they decided to see how much the island of Tir Nan Og had changed ever since they last left it. One boring exhibit later, they were on for a shopping spree. Or at least _intended_ to, as the business around there wasn't as active as it used to be, thanks to the Winx's enemies causing trouble from planet to planet.

"You'll get your new clothes some other time. Let's look for a restaurant first, I'm starving." said Musa.

"I'd like to check that pizza place we've been to during our first year in Alfea." said Flora. "What do you think, Daphne?"

Daphne looked away from her reflection on a shop window, turning to Flora. "I haven't gotten any pizza in a while, sounds good to me." she said, smiling.

"Well, not all the restaurants in this area of the town are open. I can't check for sure if some of them are closed or not, we better start walking if we want to find somewhere to eat." said Tecna, looking through her phone's map.

"Maybe we should get smoothies again." suggested Stella.

"Already?! We just got some less than an hour ago. Sometimes, I wonder how you're not putting on any weight." said Aisha, amused.

"Any food that comes in brings out my skin and hair. Though I haven't tried pizza in a while, feels like an eternity."

"You know, we could go back to Alfea and make some together again if you want." said another voice.

The six girls suddenly turned around, only to face Bloom.

"Bloom?!" exclaimed Daphne.

"I was able to get out! I don't know what you girls did, but I'm back now. I hope I didn't miss anything." Bloom then realized something was off.

First, the Winx didn't look all that happy to see her. Then, they weren't wearing the same clothes as they did earlier today. In fact, it looked like their clothes from last year. Did Stella make everyone look retro for an occasion? And lastly...

They looked almost shocked to see her, scared even.

"Bloom..."

"Girls, are you alright? Listen, I'm sorry about what happened earlier, you must've been really scared for me. My magic seems okay and the mirror didn't hurt me, so I think we could-"

"Take a step back, now!"

Taken aback, Bloom stared at Aisha, who glared at her while putting herself in front of the other Winx and Daphne. In fact, they all got into a defensive stand, seemingly wary of her. She was confused, did she do anything to upset them?

"Uh, are you girls okay?"

"Don't come any closer, Bloom!" angrily told her Stella. "If this is another one of your tricks, we're not falling!"

"What? Stella, what do you mean?"

"Bloom..." started Daphne, who was wearing her regular civilian outfit rather than the clothes she had chosen for her History of Magic class. "What are you doing here?"

"I... After I got caught, the mirror threw me out and I started looking for you all. I didn't find you, so I asked around and people told me you were in Magix. Did... did I do anything wrong by coming here?"

Daphne looked at her little sister, just as confused as her. What was Bloom blabbering about? And since when did she start dressing so... seriously? It looked like a school uniform, what was Bloom doing?

"And what are you here for?" asked Musa, threateningly.

"I told you, I was looking for you."

"And for what?" asked Flora.

"Because... I wanted to keep hanging out with you?"

It was the Winx's turn to look confused. What was it about Bloom that made them feel so puzzled? What was off with her? She wished she knew, maybe she could make it up to them if they explained.

"Listen, if there's any problem, I'll just go to Alfea and ask Mrs. Faragonda to-"

"Look out!" Bloom turned to look at the sky, and frowned as she recognized the three flying figures in the sky.

The Trix! How did they get out of the book?! She thought they were trapped in there for good, unless they managed to loophole their way out of trouble like they did every time before. But, weren't their witch clothes different when she left them at Rumpelstiltskin's house? They were back to looking the way they were when she first fought them.

Did the book downgrade their powers? Or did they trade their freedom for their powers with Rumpelstiltskin? They were the descendants of the Ancestral Witches after all, Rumpelstiltskin might've not resisted. Or maybe they had some other kind of magic item to trade, seeing as they could still fly and were very much about to attack them.

"Icy! I should've known you were responsible for this!" shouted Bloom.

"Huh, Bloom?!" said the ice witch, seemingly surprised. "Why are _you_ here?! Did you lead us here for nothing?!"

"We searched the Museum of Magix for hours, there was nothing of value except worthless old junk!" complained Stormy. "Honestly, if you weren't such a big deal, I'd almost think you pulled a prank on us."

"...what? Listen, I don't know what you're looking for by coming here, but you're not gonna stay there for long if the Winx have anything to say about it!" said Bloom, glaring at the three of them.

"Sheesh, so dramatic." taunted Darcy. "I told those two we should've kept looking on Domino, but do they ever listen to me? Anyway, if you could just clear the way with those fire eating monsters, we could keep looking." Bloom's face lost all composure as soon as she heard her.

"Fire eating monsters?" asked Daphne, concerned. "Bloom, what is she talking about?"

"Daphne! The Fire Eaters from the Vortex of Flames! But I thought we were rid of them last time." said Bloom, confused. "Either the Trix got their hands on the Legendarium, or something very wrong is going on. Domino's castle is in big danger!"

"Don't say more, we know what we need to do." said Stella.

"We'll be back next time, Bloom. And whatever you were planning by taking the Trix to us, we'll find out and put a stop to it." warned Musa.

Bloom stared at her friends. Why were they suddenly treating her like an enemy? And Daphne looked so upset seeing her, it made her feel even more lost than she did a few hours ago. She needed to clear things up, for both her friends and herself, but before she could add anything else, the girls gathered.

"Magic Winx, Sirenix!"

The transformation's light blinded her for a few seconds, and then her friends and sister were all in Sirenix form. But she just told them the problem was on Domino, not Andros or any underwater location, so why opt for Sirenix?

"Hold on, girls! I-"

It was too late, they flew away without even listening to her, leaving her alone with the Trix. Who surprisingly weren't following them, probably staying around to taunt and fight her.

"Bloom, I know you told us you didn't have any idea where this 'Essence of Domino' is hidden, but can't you look it up or use some spell to find it? You're royalty from that planet after all." said Stormy.

"I... what?! Listen, I don't have the time to deal with any of you, so if you're looking for trouble, you three are gonna get it quick!" she said, her fire magic forming into her hands.

"Alright! Alright! We'll keep looking by ourselves!" interrupted Icy, actually looking _intimidated _while facing her. "Thanks again for the lead!"

With a snap of fingers, the Trix dissolved into dark energy and disappeared, leaving Bloom completely on her own again.

"The Essence of Domino? Are they talking about my Dragon Flame? That's a weird way to put it. And why is everyone thinking I'm tricking them? It's like I've been replaced by some trickster version of me."

Doubt seized her as she wondered if the mirror did indeed create an evil reflection of her. Was this why everyone was mad at her? Because another her spent the entire day causing havoc and helping the witches cause trouble? She sighed before shaking her head, now wasn't the time to worry about her reputation, only about the damage that was caused.

She needed to go back to Domino and help her parents and friends out, then they can share stories and explain what happened.

"Winx, Zoomix!"

Her magic surrounded her again and, in a flash of bright sparkles and blue light, she was gone.

* * *

With a war cry, the king Oritel drove his blade at the dark beast's head, only to be thrown back by the creature as his attack did nothing. Heaving, he looked behind him, observing how his wife was doing. Marion hadn't gotten rusty either, but even now, her magic wasn't enough to stop the Fire Eaters.

Up to a few minutes ago, it was a peaceful evening. The servants around the castle were busy doing their daily work, taking care of Domino's castle until the royals heard screaming, and soon realized it was time to fight. A blast of teal and gold energy pushed one of the Fire Eaters away, warning the King and Queen of Domino that their eldest daughter had returned.

"Daphne! The Winx!" exclaimed Oritel.

"Mom! Dad! Get everyone else to safety while we take care of these beasts!" said Daphne, throwing another Flame Spiral towards the Legendarium creatures.

"Everyone left the castle, now only these monsters are left!" said Marion, blasting a gold and blue beam at the Fire Eaters. "How did you know we were under attack? We were about to call you for help."

"You wouldn't believe it, but Bloom told us what the problem was." said Flora. "We met in Magix City, and she and the Trix told us you were in danger."

"Bloom?!" said the couple in unison.

"She was acting so weird today, she didn't even try to harm us." said Stella, casting a Light Diamond. "She wasn't even wearing her normal clothes, she was dressing like she went to some school."

"She said these monsters came from the Legendarium, but she didn't seem to have it." said Musa. "She said they came from the Vortex of Flames or something like that, do you know what it is?" The couple's expression turned sour as they heard the name of the Vortex of Flames.

"It's a magical vortex that was used to test out the power of the Keeper of the Dragon Flame." explained Marion. "Only the power of the Vortex of Flames could destroy these things, and for that..."

"...we need the power of the current Keeper of the Dragon Flame. And it's only when they've accomplished their trial by fire that they'll be able to destroy them." finished Oritel, much to the Winx's horror.

"Daphne! Can't you use your magic to get rid of them?" asked Aisha. "You used to have the Dragon Flame too! And you're a Nymph!"

"Sorry, Aisha, but ever since Bloom took that role, I can't." Daphne shook her head. "They're immune to all kinds of magic, even a convergence of our strongest spells won't be able to hold them on for long. We need the Dragon's Flame for this, and since Bloom knew about these things, something tells me she either used them before or saw them in action."

"So we're defenseless?" asked Musa.

"The best thing we can do, is to restrain these creatures while one of us goes to get Bloom."

"Guess we should've taken her offer of hanging out earlier." commented Stella.

As the Sirenix Fairies kept defending themselves, the beasts kept charging at them, destroying the throne room. Daphne knew her friends would tire soon as many previous Dragon Flame keepers before her parents had failed the trial of the Vortex of Flames. A part of her was still conflicted about Bloom's appearance today.

She directly came to confront them, and told them about the threat they'd face. But why would she go ahead and tell them instead of keeping them in the dark? It's like she lured them into the castle for another trick. She wished she understood her little sister's decisions better sometimes.

She could've prevented Bloom's change of heart if she did...

"They're multiplying!" said Tecna, overlooking the invasion. "Logic Net!"

A technological sphere surrounded the Winx and Daphne's parents, protecting them from the damage being caused. It wouldn't last for long, so they needed to come up with a plan.

"What do we do? Do we keep fighting in hopes they retaliate? Or do we leave Domino until we find Bloom and get her to get rid of these things?"

"If we leave them here, they'll go and harm the town's inhabitants." said Flora.

"But if we stay here, we won't get anywhere, only tire ourselves." said Aisha. "Looks like we're stuck between a rock and a hard place, Bloom really chose the worst thing ever to send us."

"I'm not sure she was responsible this time." said Stella. "She looked shocked when the Trix came, even if they were saying she led them there. She's probably playing innocent, but if so, who knows what game she's playing at this time?"

"Any clue of where she could be now?" asked Oritel.

"We left her in Downtown Magix, but I doubt she'd still be there." said Daphne. "If only there was a way to-"

A flash of light blue interrupted her, and in the middle of the throne room, Bloom had appeared.

"Mom! Dad! Daphne!"

"Bloom! I do not know what your intentions are, but for the sake of your family, get rid of these things!" shouted Oritel from behind the shield.

Bloom looked slightly shaken, and a bit hurt by his words, though she shook her head before facing the monsters, who had turned to her. He knew his daughter would be difficult to deal with, though he had to admit the girls were right. Something seemed different about her this time...

"I wish you girls were there for some backup, but I guess we'll have to deal with that later. For now..." she said as the Fire Eaters roared at her, ready to attack. "Magic Winx, Bloomix!"

A light surrounded her, and soon enough, she bore a blue outfit with dragon scale patterns here and there. As she flew above the ground, her hair seemed longer and a darker shade of red, a tiara with a red jewel was on her forehead, and she even had big wings on her back with jewels hanging off of them.

Did Bloom just...?

"I don't know what you creatures are doing back here again, especially after last time, but if this is the witches' doing again, count on me to stop it as many times as I'll have to! Flame Storm!"

Waves of fire erupted from her hands, and soon covered the entire room. For a few moments, no one could see anything, until the blinding fire faded out, and the throne room was devoid of Fire Eaters. There were debris everywhere around them, but not even a trace of burnt furniture. And she didn't even reach the Winx with that attack, as if she didn't intend to harm them...

What was Bloom doing?

She went back on solid ground, sighing in relief. "I'm so sorry I didn't come here sooner, but the girls didn't wait for me and I had to confront the Trix. Are you guys okay?"

The shield disappeared, and Oritel and Marion ran to her. She almost expected a hug, but rather than seeing her parents relieved that she came, they looked concerned, confused. And so were Daphne and the Winx who surrounded her.

"Is everyone alright? I don't know what the witches are planning this time, but they got out of the Legendarium somehow and-"

"Bloom... Are you... are you a fairy?"

That question came out of nowhere, and it was from Daphne. She looked at her older sister in confusion.

"What? Daphne, I... I am, of course I am. What kind of question is that? Listen, when I got here-"

"Her wings look real! It's like, this isn't Bloom!" exclaimed Stella.

Now it was Stella's turn too? What was it with the Winx today? Maybe an illusion world wasn't that out of the question. She was however taken aback as Tecna's phone was flying in front of her, seemingly scanning her.

"Tecna, what are you doing?"

"Collecting data..." said Tecna, taking the device back. "There are high levels of positive energy inside her, and practically none of negative energy."

"Wait..." said Flora. "That means..."

"Bloom is a fairy, yes. But this is impossible, and my data doesn't say anything about her being a fake." Bloom covered her mouth at Tecna's word. What was going on with everyone today?! "So this is Bloom..."

"I am Bloom!" she protested.

"...but not _our_ Bloom."

At her friends' words, Bloom took a few steps back. Everyone was treating her like an enemy, the Trix talked to her as if they were friends, and she was just told she wasn't 'their' Bloom.

_'Where... where did I end up?!'_

* * *

"Another Bloom, huh? Interesting."

"Could it be a replica?" he asked, rubbing his chin as he observed the Bloomix Fairy through the magic eye on the fortress' wall.

"No... The Fire Eaters were made specifically for me and anyone else who would earn my role as the Keeper of the Dragon Flame. Never have I ever thought I'd see myself with those girls and their glittery outfits." said the redhead, pursing her lips. "How convenient for the Winx, another me comes to save the day..."

"It's only one more fairy to worry about, my dearest Bloom." said the wizard, putting an arm around her back. "Don't forget before this newcomer arrived, _we_ got the Dragon Flame too."

She returned his smirk as she turned around to face him, taking his face between her darkly gloved hands and letting him embrace her.

"Hard to forget that curse when you were the one to make it a blessing, my lovely knight in gloomy armor." she teased.

"My dark little angel." he teased back.

It wasn't unusual for dark magic users to have an interest in each other, especially if they had similar powers. It was however not every day that said magic users also both possessed the strongest source of magic in the Magic Dimension, as any union of the sort would inevitably ensure doom for everyone who'd oppose it. Unluckily, it just had to be the case.

In the abandoned cave of the Shadow Phoenix, a lost soul had found refuge with the legacy of the three Ancestral Witches. And sure, they would have to confront an opponent who could use their powers against them, but it wouldn't be much of a problem as long as they were together.

She may have been the lost Princess of Domino, but she wouldn't give up on Valtor and his dark ways any time soon.


	3. A Tale of Two Blooms

An uncertain Bloom was looking at her friends. At least, up until a few minutes ago, she thought they were her friends.

They looked so much like them, they _were_ them. But they didn't remember her, and neither side knew exactly who the other was. As far as she knew, she was now their enemy, and they were against her. What happened?

Before her, Daphne and Marion were focusing their magic on her, sensing out her Dragon Flame. She could read confusion on their faces, as judging from their earlier behavior, they were clearly expecting her to have a trace of dark magic inside of her. She knew fairly well she hadn't used dark magic in a while, at least not ever since Sky freed her from Darkar's control.

She wondered what made them so afraid of her, why they weren't acting like her friends would. Whatever going through the mirror meant, it seemed something very wrong has happened, even before she visited the school.

Both women finally sighed, putting their hands down before exchanging a look.

"There's absolutely no sign of negative energy inside of Bloom's body. All in all, the positive energy is overflowing inside of her." said Marion.

"Her Dragon Flame has been amplified, more than I thought was possible." said Daphne. "Bloom, that form you turned into earlier... it was a Fairy form, right?"

Bloom nodded, which didn't make things easier to understand for Daphne.

"I don't understand... how?"

"How what?"

"How do you have that power? How are you such a strong fairy? How are you...?"

Daphne was staring at her little sister, clearly unable to believe Bloom was even standing in front of her. Bloom didn't know how she'd take the answer, but decided to humor her anyway.

"Daphne... I'm in Alfea. I've been studying there for years, and it's thanks to you that I learned many things about my powers and myself before. Don't you remember?"

She shook her head, Bloom's story not fitting.

"Think she may be a replica like Professor Avalon was?" suggested Stella.

"No, I've updated my data ever since then." explained Tecna. "If she was an artificial fairy, I would've detected it earlier."

"And even if she was, it'd demand an obscene amount of negative energy." explained Marion. "This is my daughter indeed, but... Bloom, the Winx told us you haven't studied in Alfea for even a year. Are you... are you lying to us?"

Bloom was taken aback. Her mother was doubting her, but if she wasn't mistaken, this may not even be her mother. Their stories definitely didn't match, she had to learn more.

"No, Mom! I've graduated from Alfea before coming back just to look for you and Dad! After the school year was over, I started looking for a way to bring Domino back to the way it was, after the Ancestral Witches destroyed everything and cursed Daphne's powers! You wouldn't believe how hard it was to-"

"Domino was destroyed?!" exclaimed Oritel.

Bloom stared at her father. He couldn't have forgotten how he and his entire kingdom were trapped in the Obsidian Circle, could he? Unless...

...unless Domino, _their_ Domino, wasn't destroyed by the witches like it had been with her version of Domino.

"My powers..." hesitated Daphne. "Are you talking about the Source of Sirenix?"

"Yes! And when they turned you into a ghost! Daphne, you can't tell me you don't remember that, you were scared at the prospect of looking for Sirenix because of the Ancestral Witches putting a curse on it. Once it was gone, you had a lot of trouble readjusting to your body."

Daphne covered her mouth in shock. "Bloom... Sirenix _was_ cursed, but I never turned into a ghost, I don't understand half of what you're telling me. You're saying that the witches... killed me?"

"Well..."

The Winx were eyeing Domino's royal family. From what she was saying, Bloom sounded like she lived a normal life as a fairy, became a hero, saved her kingdom and her sister from evil threats. Which didn't sound like anything they'd expect Bloom to do or to be.

"I don't get it, why are none of you trusting me? I know I may sound crazy to you, but we're still family, aren't we?" said Bloom.

Her father walked forward, a grave expression on his face. It was the same face he had back when he forbid her from seeing Sky again, as well as the one he had while fighting the Trix. Whatever it meant this time, she knew she wouldn't like it.

"Bloom, I don't know how to tell you this, or where you pulled this entire story from, but ever since we met again... you are and always have been a Witch at the service of of the darkest forces in the Magic Dimension."

* * *

"What are they talking about?"

"Shhh, I'm trying to read their lips!"

"Since when do you know how to do that?"

"I have my own hobbies."

"Shut it, you two!" snapped Icy, looking through the Arachno Cam.

It was hard to see what Bloom was doing with the Winx were doing, they weren't able to get a clearer view or to hear what they were saying without outing their presence to the fairies. This was a first for them, to see Bloom talk with her family without any fighting involved.

Although it took them time to get the Arachno Cam near the castle without being found out, they could see the Winx had to deal with yet another issue. Their friendship and willingness to help one another could be so... sickening at times. They thought they were rid of them after finally leaving Cloud Tower, but it was easier said than done.

They still needed to find certain artefacts, and with the fairies all graduated and ready to put up a fight, victory wasn't theirs yet. Bloom's presence was still a mystery, however.

"Why did she ditch her old style? I liked her better when she didn't look like 'Miss Top Of The Class'." said Darcy. "If she plans on joining Cloud Tower, that's so not the dress code to follow."

"Those colors are so vibrant, ugh!" complained Stormy. "Is she gonna ask Daphne to tutor her for something? If you asked me, it'd almost look like she's one of those fairies."

Icy looked up again, annoyed, before focusing on the image. They had a point, something was off with Bloom. She still acted very much the same earlier that day, threatening them for getting too close for comfort (although she talked about the Winx as if she was one of them, which was ridiculous enough to imagine), and they could only presume she was the one who got rid of those fire monsters.

However, she wasn't attacking the fairies or her parents, it looked like she was having a civil conversation with them. Had something changed while they went back to their apartments? Valtor must've been watching her from somewhere, everyone knew those two made an inseparable duo, no way he didn't know about his other half talking to their enemies.

If only Knut hadn't fled Cloud Tower and gone to work for those pesky do-gooders, she'd at least know what they were saying. Bloom must've been making a deal with the fairies, she always knew how to get what she wanted from others.

A talent Icy both admired and hated her for.

"Looking for me?"

The three witches almost jumped in surprise as they raised their heads, turning to their doorstep. The redhead witch was watching them with a quite smug smile on her face. The smirk on her purple lips was easily recognizable to anyone who ever had to face her, it meant she was mocking her opponents.

They did not expect her to appear next to them, especially when she was _still_ present on the magic eye. Meaning there were two Blooms in two different places.

"Darcy, is this an illusion?"

"If it was, I should've already felt it. But all I feel is _her_. There's no doubt, that's definitely Bloom."

"Oh please! As if I'd use a vulgar image of myself to pay you a visit, where would be the fun in that?" mocked the redhead.

For a moment, they were almost relieved to see she wasn't wearing the same pink disaster the fake Bloom in the eye was wearing. Torn jean shorts, an onyx-colored jacket, a dark blue top, a red arm-band on her left arm, midnight blue socks with matching platform boots, that was their Bloom indeed. Though the real Bloom being there wasn't necessarily a good thing.

What was she doing here? Did she want them to give her the Essence of Domino she sent them to fetch? Although they were planning to use it themselves afterwards, she still was the one to give them directions. As much as they hated to admit it, she had more power over them than it helped them, and knew she was there for business.

However, this made them wonder: was the image in the eye a false one, or did she send a clone of herself to Domino to mess with the fairies? Not like she'd be one to answer their question, Bloom only ever came for things she wanted, and an FAQ was most likely not one of them.

"I see you've met my new twin." she remarked.

"Oh, that!" said Darcy. "A very good imitation, we were completely fooled once we saw her." She yelped as she was nudged by Stormy, giving the storm witch a glare.

"Glad you think I'm the one who did it, but no. That Bloom you see is not a copy, a replica or a fake." said the fire witch. "She's as real as you and I."

"What? What do you mean?" said Icy. "You're here with us, and you just told us you wouldn't use an illusion to come here. That doesn't make sense."

"Does it? Although she may look like me, her powers are different. For one, she's a Fairy just like the Winx." The Trix widened their eyes once they heard her. Bloom, a Fairy? That didn't sound right. "She also possesses the Dragon Flame, the light part of it anyway. If I were you, I'd be careful."

"Who summoned her?" asked Stormy. "I mean, I doubt you'd have another sister without telling anyone. Unless, does Valtor know?"

She received a death glare from the other witch, cruel blue eyes piercing through the darkness making her realize her mistake. Bloom hated talking about her family, and Stormy just struck a nerve. To her relief, Bloom didn't push further on the subject.

"This Bloom you see was brought here by a magic item from the Legendarium. She doesn't know enough about our world and is likely to get lost, how about you give her a tour of the Magic Universe? A Fairy like her, in a world where things would be different from her little dreamland, would be an easy target for three witches like you..."

This obviously felt like a trap, she was probably testing them again. But if she was telling the truth, they had nothing to lose.

Another Bloom meant another bearer of the Dragon Flame. If they took her powers, they'd be the strongest witches of all the Magic Dimension, but if she was anything like the Bloom they knew, it'd be anything but easy.

"As usual, you don't have to risk being seen as criminals if it bothers you so much." said the redhead, opening the door and readying herself to leave. "Just know that you don't get an occasion like this more than once in a lifetime."

As she closed the door behind her, the Trix knew they couldn't talk to her again before she gave them another visit. If she left, it was useless to follow her as she could easily teleport herself away. And if she didn't insist on them cooperating, they had a choice whether or not to listen to her.

Things were getting tough, they already had trouble gathering their usual ingredients lately because of the battles, and should they take part in fights against the fairies again, Magix might as well register them as petty criminals and refuse them any entry to the city's businesses. Worse, if more word got out about what they were doing, they might lose their sources of income and would have to move away to another planet.

Bloom wanted them to choose between their needs and what they wanted. They could either follow her advice, go after this other Bloom and take her powers, or stay there and look for another solution.

"What do you say, sisters?"

"I'd say this seems too good to be true." said Stormy. "The power of the Dragon Flame becomes a free outlet and she doesn't even bother to take it for herself? It's obvious she wants us in trouble!"

"If we don't do anything, someone else might take it instead." argued Darcy. "And even if we tried, this is Bloom we're talking about. She beat us many times before, and she's sympathizing with those fairies right as we speak. If we go after her, a lot more problems are coming our way."

Icy didn't say anything, instead looking down as she frowned. She had the chance to get the Dragon Flame as she promised herself, but even now that it was possible, the risk of failure and getting arrested for their actions was looming over them.

It took them a good while, after graduating, to get this apartment and follow their careers, they could lose everything if they weren't careful. She almost missed the comfort of Cloud Tower for a few weeks, though their new home wasn't so bad. It wasn't a castle, but it was practical enough for their dark magic and sorting things out.

They were playing with fire by agreeing to do this, Dragon Fire. They couldn't let a chance like this pass, but it was already hard enough when the Winx spread the word around about their actions. Witches were used to causing trouble, but past a certain stage, people would expect them to be more dignified, like Griffin was back when she still taught them.

Would they do it or not?

"And you? What do you think we should do, Icy?" asked Stormy.

"I say we wait."

To think things were easier when they were still under Griffin's thumb...

* * *

"So you say, you're a Fairy and the leader of the Winx?" asked Aisha.

"Yes. After Stella lied about me being the Princess of Callisto and Faragonda learned about it, she decided to let me attend anyway. Even if she had trouble believing I was a fairy when I told her I came from Earth, I still took the course of three years of studying _and_ what came after once we came back for the Sirenix Quest."

"That sounds crazy." said Musa. "You were one of us for what? A few days? Then without saying a word, you disappeared overnight and we later discovered you became a witch."

"But I'm not." said Bloom. "And I don't know why things are different here. Daphne, you said you didn't turn into a ghost. What happened after you left me on Earth?"

"Well..." said Daphne, still unsure about what was going on. "Politea and I fought the Ancestral Witches, but while I decided to flee the battle, Politea tried to strike a deal for power against the Ancestral Witches. She almost had me, but I managed to flee before they caught up to me. Afterwards... I helped my... _our_ parents seal the Witches back into the Obsidian Circle once and for all."

"You escaped..." realized Bloom. "So that's one thing, but that doesn't explain why the 'me' that's from here is so different. But wait, if you were alive, and Mom are Dad aren't trapped... did you look for me?"

Daphne's expression changed to a more neutral one. Bloom's words seemed less confused and more worried now that she started back from the beginning, it was almost endearing to hear her ask if they looked for her. However, the answer pained her when she knew she failed her before.

"I... I tried. After the witches were dealt with, I couldn't find you anymore. I was worried that they somehow got to you while I wasn't looking, or that your powers weren't enough to protect you from the fire in that Earth town. I was looking for you for years, and I blamed myself for never finding you." she explained. "But one day, you were at Alfea. I wasn't sure if it was really you and-"

The door opened, interrupting her speech. Immediately, the Pixies entered the throne room, flying up to the Fairies.

"The Winx!" said Chatta. "We heard that you were under attack while we were at Alfea. Is everyone okay?"

"We're fine, Chatta." said Flora. "It's nice that you girls came by to check on us."

"Well, we couldn't stay behind if you were in danger." proudly announced Cherie. "It looks like there was a storm in there, like a tornado or some fire blizzard. Good thing that you- Bloom?!"

The six Pixies suddenly realized the Fairy of the Dragon Flame was present among them. It wasn't hard to miss her when she wasn't wearing a witchy attire, and the bright colors melded well with her environment. She almost looked like a normal fairy to them, but they knew better.

"What are you doing here, Bloom? Causing trouble again?" accused Lockette.

"What? No, no! You got it all wrong, Lockette. Listen, I know this doesn't make a lot of sense, but I'm not the Bloom you're used to fight, trust me."

"What is that supposed to mean? You usually come to hurt the Winx and summon all those Legendarium creatures to harm everyone, like when you made Pixie Village disappear!"

_'The Legendarium?! Did I end up with it in this world? Wait, would that mean Selina is still...'_

Then Lockette's eyes widened as she felt something she shouldn't. An energy, a fairy's power, she could feel it in her heart. And it came from Bloom of all people. Pixies and fairies could magically bond, enhancing each other's powers and feeling each other's energies, becoming close like family. However, it was impossible for them to feel that way with dark magic users.

The power she felt, the heart she felt, it belonged to a fairy with great power and kindness. But, she felt it coming from Bloom! That didn't make sense, did it?

Bloom could tell she easily made everyone uneasy after revealing herself not to be the Bloom they knew. Even if this wasn't her Lockette, she felt the Pixie's conflict, fear and curiosity peaking as she got near. The other Pixies gasped as Bloom took her between her hands and started patting her short pink hair.

"It's alright, Lockette. I'm a friend, not your enemy."

"That's impossible... Bloom, I can feel you, and you seem like a really nice person! How come I only feel this now? Before, whenever we met, you always treated me and everyone else like dirt, this isn't like you to be... such a good fairy!"

"A fairy?" asked Amore. "Bloom's emotions don't seem malicious to me, could she have turned over a new leaf?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out." said Musa. "There's more than one Bloom in the Magic Dimension, and she doesn't seem to have lived the same life as the Bloom we know. This one is a nice, brave and friendly fairy, not like the witch that's attacked us with all those weird creatures from the Legendarium."

"The Legendarium!" suddenly shouted Bloom, snapping her fingers. "It's still open in here, isn't it? You didn't lock it up yet?"

"You did?" asked Stella. "We tried to find a way to lock it up, but wherever we looked, we just couldn't find it. And you and Valtor would keep putting things in our way to slow us down, stop us or just mess with us in general."

"Hold on, Valtor?" repeated Bloom. "But, I thought he was gone for good!"

"Trouble in paradise?" teased Stella, unaware that Bloom didn't understand.

"No, I used my Dragon Flame to find his, I put out his Dragon Flame and he disappeared. I thought I destroyed him!"

All the other Winx were yet again looking at her in a mix of fear, surprise and confusion.

"You... double-crossed him?" asked Aisha.

"That does sound like something you'd do but, I would've thought he'd be spared from one of your tricks." said Stella.

"What do you mean, double-crossed him? Are you saying I'm working with Valtor in this world?"

The awkward look her friends, sister and parents gave her implied that it was the case. It was as if they were telling her _'Isn't it obvious?'_, except everyone was too scared of her reaction to admit it.

"Well, who's to say it's not the case in your world as well?" said Tecna.

"Huh?"

"You seem like a normal fairy, but even regular ones can be evil, work for the wrong people. Who's to say you're not like our Bloom and you're not just looking for a way to trap us and help your Valtor conquer the Magic Dimension."

The six fairies in front of her, her sister included, took on a defensive stance, clearly still doubting her words. She had to do something to make them understand she wasn't their enemy. Being a fairy wasn't enough, Diaspro had been the living proof of that, but what could she do?

"I'm not! But, you mentioned the Pixie Village... is it still trapped in the Legendarium World?"

"That's where it's hidden?!" exclaimed Aisha. "So that's where those monsters took it! And here I was worried they were gone for good."

"You girls couldn't go there and free them?"

"How could we? We can't enter the Legendarium World." said Flora. "It's another dimension inside the Legendarium, we have no way of going in there or getting the Pixies out. We can't even feel their presence anymore."

"You don't have the Mythix Wands with you?"

The Winx exchanged another look, before Daphne spoke up.

"You're talking about the magic wands on the island of Tir Nan Og, right?"

"Yes, don't you have them?"

"We tried to get them, but Eldora told us we had to prove ourselves to the wands. We never had the occasion to, they're still trapped behind a magic glass window. Even our strongest spells couldn't free them, and Queen Morgana failed to give them to us despite owning the castle."

_'So they did ask for Eldora's help. Could this mean Selina is still studying under her? Or is she still trying to get Acheron out with the other me?'_

"Then let's go to Gloomy Wood Forest and save the Pixie Village once and for all." announced Bloom.

"You have a way to free them?" asked Stella.

Bloom nodded, frowning. If the Winx didn't trust her now, she wouldn't be able to ask for help, she had to gain their trust one way or another. Aisha - her Aisha - told her that despite his attitude, Nex was able to befriend some of the Pixies after helping her when the Alfea Champions' statues attacked the school, she could score points by bringing them back herself.

"Are you girls ready to leave?"

"If we fly there, we'll be too exhausted to help the Pixies in case the trolls are back. Or in case there's a surprise attack waiting for us." said Stella, wary of her suggestion.

"Who said anything about flying? We could teleport there using our Zoomix powers."

"Zoomix? Is that another fairy form we haven't heard of?"

Bloom sighed. It was much easier when everyone knew where her powers came from and what she could do rather than having to explain everything every time she was trying something new. Good thing she already started making a video summary of her previous adventures back in Gardenia, her camera would come in handy in a situation like this.

Preparing herself, Bloom raised her fingers into the air and summoned her transformation.

"Magic Winx, Believix!"

Another light surrounded her, and Bloom's outfit changed again. She wore a much more casual outfit, with many hearts and a lot of blue and pink thrown here and there. If you told anyone who she was, they'd have trouble believing she wasn't a fairy.

As she was concentrating, magic sparkles surrounded the other girls and she spoke the words. "Winx, Zoomix!" Her wings instantly changed shape and with another flash of magic, all the girls were gone, leaving only Bloom and Daphne's parents behind.

They stood silent, not uttering a word. They never expected to see Bloom become a fairy, even if they had hoped so for all their lives. It was so surreal, after losing her and discovering what she was up to... she suddenly appeared to them, claimed to be a fairy and that she wasn't associated in any way with the forces of darkness or Valtor. It was like a dream come true, and it wasn't normal.

Oritel walked up to Marion, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder. She looked at him sadly, aware that the situation was indeed unnerving.

A facsimile of their youngest daughter came into the castle, saved them and even claimed to be her. They couldn't be sure of how it was possible, what it could mean or if she could be trusted. But above all, she reminded them of the painful truth.

It wouldn't make sense for Bloom to suddenly listen to them or stop her rampage over the universe. As much as they wished Bloom would listen to reason, it wasn't today, nor any day in any near future that Bloom would have such a change of heart. It wouldn't be normal, and it felt delusional to think otherwise.

* * *

The girls observed the abandoned village, empty of its inhabitants now that the trolls took everyone with them. It sent a chill down the girls' spines to know what had been such a lively and adorable place for the Pixies to be so suddenly devoid of life. They were unable to save the Pixies the last time, but if Bloom was telling the truth, they had a chance.

They still couldn't count on it too much though, as they experienced her tricks too many times in the past to let their guard down so easily.

As for Bloom, she wasn't really helped by their distrust, wishing she was back to the way things were with her friends earlier that day. It's only been a couple of hours, but she already missed hanging out with them now that she faced duplicates of them, judging her at every turn.

Stepping into the village and observing the place, she could see the Tree of Life was also missing. If it weren't for the tight bonds linking the Legendarium World to the real world, their magic would be gone for good. But it also meant she had a chance to bring everyone back and fix this mess. She held her hand out, letting her Mythix Wand materialize between her fingers.

"You were able to get one?" asked Daphne.

"We all did. At least, where I came from, we did." said a saddened Bloom, looking down. "I promise I'll be right back, and when I will, all of the Pixies will be back."

"Wait, you're seriously going in there?" asked Musa. "That thing can really teleport you into the Legendarium World?"

"It's the real deal, and you won't have to worry about anything else coming your way. Here I go."

Raising the wand into the air, she twisted it, turned it and threw it above her, letting it spin and fall with its magic spreading around her. As it went down and flew back into her hands, she could feel the magic of the Legendarium World surrounding her, beckoning her to say the words.

Brandishing the item, the real world was leaving her, and the infinite energy of the imaginary world was coursing through her.

"Magic Winx, Mythix!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! ^^


	4. Boy Troubles

She had actually almost missed this feeling, to have infinite energy flowing through her endlessly. The Legendarium World had limitless magic inside of it, being a world made out of imagination, myths, magical legends and fairy tales she heard of as a child, befitting her being a fairy herself. She would go into another version of the place she found herself in, except this time, she'd know her surroundings better.

Once she opened her eyes, she recognized Gloomy Wood Forest. Though it looked somewhat lighter and more lively inside the book than in the real world, there was no doubt she went into the right place.

"Alright, now where to find the Pixies..."

Flying above the forest, she spotted a large tree she recognized as the Tree of Life. The Pixies must've been nearby if it was there, she could feel all the magic of the missing little creatures nearby. Sparkles emanated from the big plant rooted onto the ground, branches tying to rocks around it as if they were ropes.

This was unusual, maybe the trolls had taken them elsewhere? But their energy was so close, and she was surprised they'd let the Tree of Life out in the open like this.

"Ninfea? Glim? Jolly? Can you girls hear me?" she called. "It's me, I'm..."

She paused, realizing saying she was Bloom might scare the Pixies into _not_ telling her where they were.

"I'm a friend of Aisha! I was sent here to rescue you!"

"Aisha?" said a voice. "You know Aisha?"

Bloom looked around her and realized the source of the voice directly came from the Tree of Life. She remembered that Aisha told her how the trolls used it as a cage for the Pixies, and that she had to destroy the vines rooting it to the Legendarium World before freeing them. Though considering she primarily used fire, it'd be difficult not to burn the tree after this...

"Yes, I'm a fairy from Alfea. Are you Pixies alright?"

"Yes, but we're stuck! Please, let us out!" said Ninfea's voice, echoing from inside the Tree.

"Alright, hold on..."

But before she could say anything else, there was growling behind her. She turned to face the Gloomy Wood Trolls, who looked ready to jump on her and tear her fairy wings down. Looked like she'd have company while rooting up the Tree of Life...

* * *

"Do you really think we can trust her?" Daphne turned to the rest of her team, pondering over the question.

It was true, a fairy version of Bloom appearing one day, claiming to be a good person and saying she has never been a witch in her life was... concerning and hard to believe. But her magic was devoid of any darkness, and she was unable to sense any of the malice her sister had previously shown her in battles. It was a whole new Bloom, one that didn't belong to this world, and it was all surreal.

She looked so kind, so trusting, it made Daphne regret it wasn't the case for the sister she lost years ago. Would Bloom be like this if she didn't turn out the way she did? Would she really trust her and the Winx so much? Or was she making all of this up to trick them again somehow?

"I wish I could give you girls an answer, but I'm just as lost as you are. Bloom's been gone for a while now, I hope she's not getting herself, or us, in trouble."

"The boys are there!"

The girls looked up and recognized the spaceship the Specialists piloted. When it came to seeing their girlfriends, they could really be faster than light. Tecna realized she should've added more informations in her message, she hoped they wouldn't react too badly to Bloom's arrival. Timmy could help her figure her out if she really was a good fairy, otherwise it'd be their usual dose of Legendarium creatures to fight.

The boys came out of the vehicle, proudly harboring their new armors as they approached the fairies. This might be one of their wildest cases of magic gone rogue ever, as when they didn't find a way to access the Legendarium World, alternate realities would be a novelty.

"Tecna!" said Timmy. "I got your message, what did you and the Winx need us to see?"

"Well..."

Tecna couldn't answer in time, as a bright light shone behind her from the middle of Pixie Village. Everyone turned to where the light came from, and to their surprise, the Tree of Life was back where it once was, as if it had never left. Pixies came from all its sides, flying into the air while giggling and shouting in joy.

"The Pixies?! You found a way to free them?! That's amazing!"

"That's not all I called you for..."

Behind the tree, the redhead sighed in relief, sitting down while the Pixies came to her aid. They thought the Dragon Flame was held by evil people who would cause ruin to the Magic Dimension and harm their friends, yet this fairy used all her fire powers to protect them instead, valiantly fighting the forest trolls and releasing them from the Legendarium World. Among them, two Pixies eyed her closely, as they had trouble believing she was their savior.

Bloom was an enemy of the Winx and a dark magic user, yet her actions today proved otherwise. Digit had analyzed her while trapped inside the tree, and while all her data would confirm this was Bloom, it did not make any logical sense. As for Tune, she did not recognize any of the witch's mannerisms when she rescued them, she acted much more like a respectable fairy should, even if not exactly a proper princess.

Soon, the other girls went and gave Bloom a hand, letting her stand up in full view of the Specialists. The boys all gasped, staring at the girl who looked nothing like the way she did last time she fought them, being helped by her enemies rather than taken down.

Bloom shook her head before looking at them, a smile forming on her face as she walked forward.

"Sky!" said Bloom. "You don't know how glad I am to see you again!"

The blonde stepped back, getting his energy weapon out, startling her. Bloom then remembered she wasn't considered their friend in this world, yet it still hurt a bit to see Sky aim something at her again, bringing back some memories she'd rather not relive.

"Stay back, witch! We'll hold her off while you take care of her, Daphne!" said Sky.

"Guys, hold on!" said Flora. "This isn't what you think, Bloom was the one who saved the Pixies!"

"For what?" asked Brandon. "What did she bring them back for?"

"It's not like that at all." said Daphne, putting a hand on Bloom's shoulder. "Bloom is... not the Bloom you guys know."

The Specialists exchanged confused looks, wondering what this was all about.

* * *

"This is incredible! A scientific wonder! This is the ultimate proof alternate timelines and timeline-hopping are real!" exclaimed Timmy.

"Yes, using a mirror originating from a book that makes imaginary things real." huffed Bloom, tired of being scanned by everyone like she was a mere lab rat.

The Winx were chatting with their boyfriends, with the exception of Tecna who helped Timmy collect data, Sky who talked with Daphne and Thoren about the situation, and Musa who was giving Riven the cold shoulder (did they not break up?). Aisha seemed to look for someone while Bloom was getting observed. Roy and Nex were both next to her, albeit exchanging awkward looks while she paid them no mind.

Did she and Nex have an argument? They didn't seem mad at each other, but it looked like she was waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, from the forest, a dark figure ran up to her, alarming Bloom.

"Aisha! Behind you!"

"What?"

"It's-" she interrupted herself as she saw who it was. No, it couldn't be...

"Ah!" made Aisha, her eyes getting covered.

"Guess who?"

Aisha smiled as the young man who surprised her took his hands off her face, allowing her to turn around and embrace him.

"Nabu! Where were you at?"

"Just looking for traces of dark magic before the guys landed. We were near so, I thought I could just walk and say hello by myself." said the wizard, while Bloom was speechless.

Nabu... was alive?! He was alive and well, he was standing there, talking to Aisha. He... didn't die. He was... alive. This was crazy, she couldn't believe her eyes.

How did Nabu survive? Didn't he fight the Wizards of the Black Circle? Actually, since the Winx didn't recognize her Believix form, did they even cross paths with them? She worried about Roxy, was she alright? This meant so many things all at once. Were the Earth Fairies alright? Tir Nan Og was still standing, so they had to be. But how did the Winx free them without Believix?

How come the Earth Fairies were back without any signs of the Wizards of the Black Circle around? Did they never exist in this world? But it didn't add up, the school exposition was still the same as ever. And while Tir Nan Og could've become a school without the Wizards, she imagined it would've looked at least a bit different from the one she knew.

This was too confusing, too blurry. She needed the whole story, starting from when the other her became a witch, as well as knowing what Valtor had to do with all of this. If this world was in danger, there was also a risk the evil inside of it leaked into her world and threatened her friends. They'd be twice as stronger to defeat him all over again, but she'd rather not take the end of the world route this early.

What she witnessed here was practically unheard of, unbelievable even for a fairy. She couldn't imagine how her friends would react if she told them what she was going through, especially for Aisha. She just finally moved on from losing Nabu, yet there he was as if nothing ever happened. Because nothing ever happened as far as this universe was concerned.

She almost jolted back in surprise when Stella touched her shoulder.

"Bloom, you look pale." she told her. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

_'Maybe I have...__'_ "I just need a lot of rest after this endless day. Let's go to Alfea and talk to Mrs. Faragonda."

"Never thought I'd hear that kind of advice coming from you." snorted Musa.

Bloom looked at the other Winx facing her. The hostile looks they've had earlier today were gone, replaced by friendly expressions. They actually _trusted_ her now, and Daphne looked glad to see her. Took some effort, but it seemed she was among friends again. The last thing she asked herself was Sky, he reacted so badly to her, it reminded her of when the Trix tricked her into thinking she was a witch.

It had turned out false, but this Bloom seemingly confirmed that theory. She walked towards the blonde Specialist, who still looked wary facing her, reminding her of his first interaction with Selina. If she was right, she really did take Selina's place.

"Sky... um, how do I say this..."

"Are you really a fairy?" he asked with a severe tone, obviously still skeptical of her.

"I... I am. Look, I know it's hard for you to believe me after everything she, the other me, did, but I promise I-"

"Hold on." said Sky, his phone ringing. He picked it up with a sigh she was all too familiar with. "Hey, Diaspro."

Bloom covered her mouth at the mention of the princess from Eraklyon. If Sky didn't love her... was he still engaged to Diaspro?! But, he said he didn't really love her despite their friendship, but would he even have a reason not to marry her without a girlfriend? Did Sky have another girlfriend in this universe? And...

What did the other Bloom think of Sky?

When they met, it was practically love at first sight, even if she could've used some honesty from Sky when it came to Diaspro. What did this other Bloom do? Did she still love him? Did she know he had pretended to be Brandon? And if she went to Alfea, did they date or not? It sickened her to imagine Sky with someone else, even if she knew this wasn't her Sky. Thankfully, he looked rather bored talking to her on the phone, eventually hanging up (she wasn't even sure she heard him say goodbye).

"Sorry, family trouble."

"Let me guess, Diaspro's being her self-centered, boring and bratty self all just to get your attention again?" asked Bloom, attempting at humor. "Where I came from, even getting amnesia couldn't make her easier to talk to."

Sky looked surprised, though she almost saw a small smile form at the edge of his mouth.

"You would know all about that for sure."

It seemed he was teasing her back, yet it still made her smile falter. Whether she liked it or not, he still viewed her as a witch like everyone else aside from the other Winx did. She hoped this nightmare would finally end...

* * *

It was hard getting her to Faragonda's office without alarming everyone at Alfea of her presence, but they still managed it. Stella gave her a cloak to cover her face as to not startle anyone at Alfea while the Winx walked with her, trying to pass by unnoticed. Griselda almost had a bad reaction when she revealed herself, but after much explaining, it seemed she'd be safe.

"This is quite the peculiar situation indeed, girls." said the headmistress. "While the power of the Dragon Flame can be split, shared or even partially stolen, otherwordly duplicates of one's entire being are practically unheard of. You say you're an Alfea student, Bloom, right?"

"Yes, Mrs. Faragonda." nodded Bloom. "When I was 16, Stella found me in Gardenia while she was fighting Knut and a bunch of ghouls to avoid getting her ring stolen. I was there when it happened and before I knew it, I sent a magical burst at him and I discovered I was a fairy this entire time."

"But tell me, didn't you come in contact with witches and dark magic afterwards? Or prior to that event?"

"No, I lived my whole life thinking I didn't have any powers before I met Stella. Then, she got me into Alfea. Of course, I didn't know I was the princess of Domino back then, so she lied about me being Varanda of Callisto." Griselda sent a glare at the blonde who swore she did none of the sort. "Earth Fairies were thought to be gone for good, so when we were found out when the Trix attacked again, I thought I was the only one left."

"Have Earth Fairies returned in your dimension?"

"They did. We all gathered together with the power of Believix and freed them all. Roxy, maybe you know her, was even able to reunite with her mother. Of course, the Wizards of the Black Circle were still there, but we also had to solve tensions between fairies and humans. They were trapped for so long, they wanted revenge on humankind afterwards."

"You met the Wizards of the Black Circle?" asked Daphne. "They've disappeared many years ago, Morgana was surprised to learn they were gone once we went to meet her."

"Wait, so you don't know them?" asked Bloom, to which her sister and friends shook their heads 'no'. "That would explain why none of you girls knew about Believix. It's a special power, after Enchantix, that allows a fairy to get new powers like magic wings and special abilities, like my Flame of Life."

"If I understand well, Domino was trapped in the Obsidian Circle. Were you the one to free them?"

"We all were. My Enchantix was incomplete since I had it by training rather than self-sacrifice, so when the school year ended, I-"

"Wait, there's another way of acquiring Enchantix?" asked Tecna. "We've never heard of that. How do you get an 'incomplete' form?"

"Enchantix allows you to reach your full potential, which is achieved through giving away something as precious as your life to save someone from a certain demise." explained Faragonda. "However, in very rare occasions can a fairy will herself to gain Enchantix. If Bloom had to do it that way, I suppose no one from Domino but you survived."

"Not if you count Valtor..." huffed Bloom, crossing her arms. "I went on Pyros to get my Enchantix so he'd be less of a threat against all of us together. I thought I'd never see him again, and I wish it stayed that way. Anyway, after we defeated him, I went looking for my biological parents. When we got there, Sky pulled my father's sword away from his statue and he freed them all. Sky saved my whole kingdom, but that didn't happen here."

"That part of the story, we got." said Musa. "What happened next?"

"Well... when the new school year started, we all came back to help teaching at Alfea. It didn't last when the Wizards came so, we then went to Pixie Village, then to Earth to look for the last Earth fairy, Roxy."

"Hmm, Roxy took a year off the school program to help her mother adjust back into Gardenia." said Faragonda. "You haven't seen her before attending Alfea?"

"No, I only ever went to the Frutti Music Bar when we settled in. After I asked my parents for some help finding a place to stay in, we went there to relax and eventually, we discovered she had magic powers. She didn't trust us at first, but eventually she accepted our help."

"Our Roxy did it all by herself." said Flora. "When Mrs. Faragonda called us in to help negotiate with Queen Morgana, she introduced us to Roxy and she told us about how she discovered her powers."

"It sounded straight out of a book." commented Stella. "She started having weird dreams about her mom before she got her dad to go on a road trip. Then she found the White Circle and freed Tir Nan Og like a hero. If I didn't know better, I'd swear it's as if she was one of us.

"She is." said Bloom. "She had Believix too and it's thanks to her we were able to bring magic back on Earth. Then we went back to Alfea the same year she enrolled. It's thanks to her magic we were able to turn Mrs. Griffin back to normal."

"What happened to Mrs. Griffin?"

"The Trix took over Cloud Tower and turned her into a crow before making the school fly and target other magical schools." She received several stares. "But that's over and they're now trapped into the Legendarium World."

"Sounds too complicated for the Trix to pull off." said Aisha. "They're more like bullies or petty criminals here, never thought they'd be one to teach magic at school."

"...what?! What about when they worked for Darkar?"

"They did?"

She stared back, aghast at what she was hearing.

"Valtor?"

"Kind of obvious he's busy with you." said Stella. "The other you, I mean."

"Ancestral Witches? Tritannus?"

"Weren't they gone for-"

"What does my cousin have to do with the Trix?" interrupted Aisha. "I know Tritannus can be a psycho when... well, practically all the time, but did he work with the Trix?"

"What did you get Sirenix for then?"

"The Source was still infected with the curse, so I took it upon myself to free it and allow everyone else to try the Sirenix Quest." said Daphne. "The Winx followed after me even after I told them of the danger it could have for their powers, and here we are."

"Wow, that's..." said Bloom. "So hold on, didn't you girls fight Darkar?"

"We did for a while, but we haven't heard from him since we got the Pixies." said Musa. "We can't risk going to Shadowhaunt while you... um, Valtor and the other you could cause trouble on Magix, so we can't check."

"That doesn't sound like him, he needed me and the Codex to get the Relix and take over the entire Magic Dimension, where could he have gone to?" asked Bloom. "He sent a fake Avalon for my second year, I realized too late he was tricking me into trusting him. Good thing Sky was there to get me out of his grasps before we all went and destroyed him."

"We found out about the fake Avalon a good while ago, the real one just came back to Alfea one day and we had to fight that clone off." said Flora. "Did he hurt you?"

"Well... you could say I did act like a witch because of him. He sent a Shadow Virus at me and made me into a Dark Bloom. I acted so terrible back then, I should've known better than blindly trust someone like that, even if it's a teacher..."

She looked down, remembering her past flaws. Avalon seemed like a nice person, but Sky had been right, she was totally fooled by his facade in no way that was acceptable. If she had just listened sooner, Darkar would've been nowhere close to victory.

"If he's still out there, then Darkar must be ordering Valtor and the other me around. I don't get why he hasn't taken the Relix yet, but if he's alive, the Magic Dimension is in big danger." said Bloom. "I just wish I could help you with this, maybe if I returned to my world, I could get the other Winx to come over and help out. We've already defeated Darkar _and_ Valtor, it'd be a piece of cake for all of us."

"I will allow you seven to go on Tir Nan Og island tomorrow. For now, you girls need some rest after all these emotions." said Faragonda. "I will look for a room for you to sleep in, Bloom."

"Why?" asked Bloom. "Isn't my room- Oh..."

She didn't go to Alfea anymore in this universe, so she wouldn't have a room. Part of her wondered what she was like as a student, and why she left.

"She could sleep with me." said Daphne. "I already have a bed or two ready for the times our parents visited, Bloom could share a room with me tonight."

"Fairly well. I wish you girls a good night, now if you'll excuse me, I have to contact a few colleagues about this..."

* * *

"So, what do you think?"

"It's about the same as the one I've seen in my Alfea. I mean, it still looks as great as ever." commented Bloom. "I don't hang around in your room much since I'm busy with classes, but I could always tell a lot of your personal touch is always in there somewhere."

"Am I a good history of magic teacher, Bloom?"

Bloom turned to her sister, the blonde seemingly curious about her opinion. She didn't know what to make of that question, her Daphne never asked anything like this.

"Well, you are. Whenever we had class with you, you always knew so much. I was so glad you were still there telling me and so many people about the past and other things you knew, it felt like when you were still a spirit, except we were all together again. You, me, Mom and Dad..." said Bloom. "Was I a good student?"

"Well... I'll be honest, while you didn't really seem like a troublemaker, you always seemed... out there. When you first came into my class, I had the feeling it was you but, I was never sure. You made yourself hard to notice, you were very withdrawn and I wasn't sure you were paying attention. Eventually, around the time I wanted to try talking to you, you were gone..."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be, Bloom." reassured Daphne. "We all wish we could erase the past but, I have to live with that mistake and fix it instead. In the meantime, I have to give Pepe dinner."

She whistled, and instantly, a little purple duck came from under her bed sheet. Bloom's eyes widened as she recognized Pepe, Icy's little duck from before the Trix were sent to Lightrock Monastery. What was he doing in there? Wouldn't he be with Icy instead? Then again, she never was good with animals from what she's seen, unless they were monsters under her control.

"I thought he belonged to Icy."

"He did, but she didn't want him and he seemed sad all alone, so I kept him."

"Reminds me of me and Kiko." giggled Bloom. "I hope he's safe wherever he is."

"Kiko?"

"He's my pet rabbit. He's got some little powers of his own since he can fly and go inside Alfea's barriers, but I haven't seen him do anything beyond that. He used to play with Pepe a bit before Pepe left to follow Icy. I don't know where he is now, Icy could've abandoned him."

"Poor little thing." said Daphne, picking the duck up. "I hope he's not too much of a handful, Pepe always gets a little jealous whenever Thoren is there."

"He's not, he's a good rabbit." said Bloom. "Speaking of Thoren, are the two of you... you know..."

She started making the wedding march, making her sister laugh.

"He's always so kind, we've been dating for quite a while. Mom and Dad approve of him but, I think Sky is slightly jealous." Bloom did a double take.

"W-What?!"

"This is going to sound awkward but, I have the feeling Sky likes me a bit." said Daphne. "Not that I'm interested nor that I think it's a good idea, but he always wants to talk to me when I'm there. Of course, we've been friends for a while ever since I took this job, but I think I might be leading him on."

Bloom's expression suddenly made her understand she had been talking about Sky before, in a way that implied more than friendship.

"Oh, I mean! Erm, Bloom, are the two of you... you know..."

"We are. Sky declared his feelings for me and we tried to get married plenty of times even if things were in the way, actually. But, he likes you?! And, what about... oh man!"

"Well, on the bright side, if you were evil..." attempted Daphne. "You'd know his tastes would stay the same, right?"

Bloom failed to explain to her sister that no, her boyfriend falling for her instead of Diaspro was _not_ a comforting thought.

"This is giving me a headache... When I get the time to, we have to go back to Earth and find my adoptive parents. They could fill us in on why your version of me became a witch. In the meantime... how does Sky act like when he's with you?"

* * *

Daphne realized her mistake when Bloom did not change the topic, even later that night. She herself had to wonder what her Bloom thought of Sky.

If Bloom hadn't changed, would they be dating? Would Sky's father allow him to see someone other than Diaspro? Her father's friend was grouchy and hardheaded, Sky and Bloom being together would sound like a miracle to her, unless the other Erendor was a nicer person.

The other Bloom was now sleeping peacefully, letting go of all the work she had done once she arrived. This Bloom was the leader of her own Winx Club, she could only imagine what sorts of things they did together as classmates. She didn't forget what she said about being a spirit, the idea sounded so surreal. She would've been hit like Politea was, but in the end, she'd still be there for her little sister.

This Bloom was so brave to bring her back to normal, what would she have done in her place?


	5. Farewell Mirror World, Return to Home

"How I wish things could just go back to the real Alfea..." said Bloom, putting her hands on the mirror's surface.

Instantly, the glass glowed blue and her arms went through it.

"No way, is it-"

She ran through the item, blue surrounding her world once again. She finally did it! She'd finally go back home and forget any of this ever happened! She and Sky would be together again! She'd-

She warped into a room that wasn't hers. And laying on the bed was-

"Riven?! Is that you?" asked Bloom. "Are you okay? What are you holding?"

"Wooooooooow, Bloom... you like, appeared so mysteriously..."

"Ew, what's that smell?!"

"Want some herbs?"

"...I can't believe this, I'm-"

The door opened, and Sky appeared. Without pants.

"Hey Bloom, glad you're here. Riven, buddy, mind getting out? I promised Bloom she could get back at me for winning at cards."

A strange noise escaped from Bloom's mouth as she asked herself whatever the hell hit her boyfriend and Musa's ex (why was Riven even back at Alfea now? Griselda would not like this at all). Before she could react, two girls that she didn't recognize, one with green hair that reminded her of Selina, came into her room.

"Bloom! You were supposed to meet us in the hall half an hour ago! Where were you at?! And Sky, put some pants on." said the green-haired girl.

"Excuse me but... who are you?"

"Hm? Dammit, are you high? You already forget about your bestie like this? It's me, Jade! Man, we should really tell Flora to keep an eye on her plants..."

"Better to blow your mind than blow things up, I guess." shrugged the other girl.

"You're a riot, Beatrix. Now come on, Bloom, we don't have all day."

Bloom stared. Who were those people? Why were the boys acting crazy? Was she not home? And how come everyone talked about drugs as if it was normal?

"Hey Riven? Mind giving me that pink bra Stella lent me?" asked a voice coming into the room. "Sky and I are gonna get even after our party night and-"

The newcomer paused. Another Bloom stared at her.

"Beatrix! I thought we agreed no cloning me!"

"B-But I didn't do it!" argued the girl. "So hold on, who were we talking to?"

"Oh man..." complained Bloom. This was not her world...

* * *

"Stupid tacky mirror!" complained Stella. "I don't even want to see myself in you! I own better mirrors than you!"

"Calm down, Stella, it's not like it's randomly going to lead us to Bloom. You can't just ask it 'Hey, magic mirror, the Winx Club is a group so mind getting our band all together?'."

Instantly, the mirror glowed blue and the glass seemed to disappear, letting a portal open.

"...never mind."

"I knew it! Let's go and save Bloom!"

The five fairies ran into the portal, letting the magic surround them before they saw where they had warped into. They were on a concert set, and in front of them was...

"Bloom!" said Stella. "Gosh, I'm so glad to see you! But, why are you dressed like you're ready for a concert?"

"Um..."

Musa pointed out to something else. "Uh, girls? Is it me or there are other us now?"

The Winx's eyes widened once they realized Bloom was with another Winx Club, composed with clones of them wearing concert outfits.

"What's this?!"

"I am sorry but, I'm not the real Bloom and we're not the Winx. They are." said the Bloom clone, pointing to Bloom and... the Winx again?!

"Ha! I told you, everyone!" said a white-haired woman wearing a witch's hat and holding a mic in front of a huge audience. "The Winx are all fairies, and their presence here is a threat to everyone on Earth!"

"Stop it, Venomya!" said the apparently-real-but-not-theirs Bloom. "Girls, I don't remember us making other clones, have we? And the magic inside their bodies seem real enough. Think Tinkerbell sent them to help?"

The other Winx looked confused while our main heroines made a grimace. This was the wrong Bloom, and they definitely came in at the wrong time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> April Fools!


End file.
